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I went to the rei seattle garage sale on a whim ... at 1130am sole dropping my wife off at work nearby. Didn't realize how they do it, other stores put everything out and it's a free for all. This was 120 people allowed in at a time, you're given 30-40 minutes to shop and sent to the checkout. They put new stuff out as it gets bought up so that everyone has a shot at decent stuff. They have so much gear. It was well organized and not very hectic at all due to limiting people. I was looking for snow shoes, mountaineering boots, and maybe a goretex shell in that order. I walked right in and saw a pile of snow shoes. I found the exact model I was looking to buy (msr revo ascent). "Returned- didn't like color or style" $110 (originally $240). Bam. They had both pairs of mountaineering boots I was interested in, literally brand new ... only 1 size too small. Bummer. I checked out shells for a nice goretex one but found nothing. Clothing doesn't really ever appeal to me as its always unorganized and I don't feel like sorting through bins of pants. I did pick up a set of Outdoor research goretex and leather gloves for $30. God that sale could be dangerous. I kind of avoided the clothing because it would have simply taken too long. It took forever ... I didn't get out until 2:30 (3 hours) but I got exactly what I wanted. It took more than an hour to get in and about an hour to check out. I scored big. Im happy with that.
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Mar 18, 2017 23:45
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George H.W. oval office posted:I got my dividend the other day. I spent a fair amount this year gearing up for the AT but I guess since most of it was sale\clearance stuff I only ended up with $13. Balls. That's why you need the REI credit card. 5% extra on everything.
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Mar 19, 2017 05:58
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I remember going to REI garage sales in College Park with my parents in the 80s-90s. It used to be chill - a bunch of tables outside the store with old junk. I went through 2 different pairs of high-end Vasque boots that had been ex-rentals between the ages of 12 and 18. I went to the College Park store a few years ago and was appalled at the ticket system, and the general scramble for crap. Did end up with 2 right-foot (??) down booties for practically nothing, and a broken Burley Travoy that's now a nice garden wheelbarrow/tote thingy. The Minneapolis store (at least last time I was there) had what I thought was a much better system - a separate room that was open to members year-round and presumably constantly restocked, so there was no need for a garage sale Black Friday battle.
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Mar 19, 2017 23:29
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Chicago store used to be a year round aisle. I think seattle just gets so much stuff (and extremely premium items) that they have to unload it as quick as possible. Also, costco in Redmond had the carbon poles again for $30 and klymt sleeping pads from $30- $100.
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Mar 20, 2017 01:19
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I've never done an REI garage sale but I dunno if I want to after reading horror stories about it. 
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Mar 20, 2017 01:52
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MEC skips the hassle and just sells the goods to staff members. Rarely does anything make it to the clearance rack besides the XXXL potato sack clothing they insist on selling.
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Mar 20, 2017 05:27
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Verman posted:I walked right in and saw a pile of snow shoes. I found the exact model I was looking to buy (msr revo ascent). "Returned- didn't like color or style" $110 (originally $240). Bam. Given how fast he goes through money at REI, I still can't understand why he hasn't managed to return them ("But I've already used them") and get the Lightning Ascents.
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Mar 20, 2017 13:22
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I have a pair of the revo explore snowshoes with two-strap ratcheting bindings - one behind the heel and one over the toes - that I would not recommend. The toe strap needs to be very loose to prevent it from chewing on my small toes and the ratchet mechanism gets clogged up with ice and freezes solid after a few hours. If they had the older evo or lightning style binding they'd be perfect, but I can't wait for them to break so I can replace them with something better.
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Mar 20, 2017 13:53
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The revo ascents have the same three strap binding system as the lightning ascents which is why I specifically looked at this model. I've used them before and had a positive experience with the bindings. The only thing I need to buy are the strap keeper buttons because the clips are so-so at keeping the straps secured. I opted for this model because they didn't have the 2 strap binding system which from the looks just seem like a terrible design. It puts too much pressure on a small part of the foot (the toe) without securing the top of the foot at all. Most snowshoers are in flexible boots so that system just wouldnt feel very secure. This is the exact snowshoe that I got. 
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Mar 20, 2017 19:36
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Verman posted:The revo ascents have the same three strap binding system as the lightning ascents which is why I specifically looked at this model. I've used them before and had a positive experience with the bindings. The only thing I need to buy are the strap keeper buttons because the clips are so-so at keeping the straps secured. I opted for this model because they didn't have the 2 strap binding system which from the looks just seem like a terrible design. It puts too much pressure on a small part of the foot (the toe) without securing the top of the foot at all. Most snowshoers are in flexible boots so that system just wouldnt feel very secure.  Atlas has the best bindings.
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Mar 20, 2017 19:44
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Can you get the best bindings along with a heel bar?
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Mar 20, 2017 20:38
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CopperHound posted:Can you get the best bindings along with a heel bar? Yeah, for sure. I just grabbed the first pic I saw of the bindings I saw on google. I like them because you just grab one strap and pull it tight and it's snug over your foot in a criss-cross pattern.
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Mar 20, 2017 20:53
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Verman posted:The revo ascents have the same three strap binding system as the lightning ascents which is why I specifically looked at this model. I've used them before and had a positive experience with the bindings. The only thing I need to buy are the strap keeper buttons because the clips are so-so at keeping the straps secured. I opted for this model because they didn't have the 2 strap binding system which from the looks just seem like a terrible design. It puts too much pressure on a small part of the foot (the toe) without securing the top of the foot at all. Most snowshoers are in flexible boots so that system just wouldnt feel very secure. I have these and I really like them. Every so often the straps come loose but even if one does the other ones still keep you firmly in the shoe, and I imagine even that wouldn't be a problem with some kind of extra keeper.
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Mar 20, 2017 21:05
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Electoral Surgery posted:I have a pair of the revo explore snowshoes with two-strap ratcheting bindings - one behind the heel and one over the toes - that I would not recommend. Seconding the Atlas love. I started with aluminum tube and the bindings were very convenient. The Lightning Ascents take more time but are definitely more secure over complicated terrain.
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Mar 20, 2017 23:37
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Getting close to my thru-hike! Man Packit Gourmet looks delicious, but I don't think I can justify the shipping just to order 3 meals. Does anyone here have a Hennessy Hammock? I have a question.
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Mar 21, 2017 05:19
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Alan_Shore posted:Getting close to my thru-hike! Man Packit Gourmet looks delicious, but I don't think I can justify the shipping just to order 3 meals. I do
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Mar 21, 2017 12:06
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Alan_Shore posted:Does anyone here have a Hennessy Hammock? I have a question. I do, what's up?
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Mar 21, 2017 12:12
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Alan_Shore posted:Getting close to my thru-hike! Man Packit Gourmet looks delicious, but I don't think I can justify the shipping just to order 3 meals. I tried a couple different Knorr packets this weekend. Teryaki lo mein with a pouch of thai chili tuna was drat tasty, while red beans and rice with salmon was passable.
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Mar 21, 2017 13:35
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Flambeau posted:I tried a couple different Knorr packets this weekend. Teryaki lo mein with a pouch of thai chili tuna was drat tasty, while red beans and rice with salmon was passable. Salmon talk. What kind of salmon? I can't stand tuna and most canned salmon I've tried seem to taste strangely tuna-ish. I've brought vac packed smoked salmon on trips before and loved it but I'd like to find a tuna substitute that isn't bad canned salmon.
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Mar 21, 2017 14:22
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If you are hiking the Narrows from the bottom up in late May, do you really need to rent canyoneering shoes plus Neoprene socks? We normally wear Tevas or Chacos (open toe) when hiking in creeks and rivers in the east, but it sounds like that is a no go in the Narrows? Maybe a old pair of tennis shoes? I am not sure how far up we will go (maybe Orderville Junction), but any advice would be appreciated. So far we are planning to do the Narrows Bottom Up, Red Hollow Slot Canyon, Emerald Pools, Canyon Overlook, Observation Point (instead of Angel Landing), and Peekaboo-Queens Garden Loop (Bryce Canyon) while we are in the Zion area (we might take one of the hikes out and replace it with Hidden Canyon). nate fisher fucked around with this message at 15:21 on Mar 21, 2017 |
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Mar 21, 2017 15:19
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alnilam posted:I do bongwizzard posted:I do, what's up? Cool! Well I'm just thinking about using the Eno Atlas straps with it instead of using lashes and knots (The Ultimate Hang book says that that way requires too many adjustments). I think it's the easiest and fastest way to hang every night, even though it's an extra 300g. As I haven't got mine yet I was just wondering if there's an easy place on the Hennesy (Hyperlite) to clip a carabiner so that I can connect it to the Atlas. Also, what's the best way to tie up the suspension as I wouldn't be using it? I can literally find nothing about this on the Internet at all.
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Mar 21, 2017 15:22
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nate fisher posted:If you are hiking the Narrows from the bottom up in late May, do you really need to rent canyoneering shoes plus Neoprene socks? We normally wear Tevas or Chacos (open toe) when hiking in creeks and rivers in the east, but it sounds like that is a no go in the Narrows? Maybe a old pair of tennis shoes? I am not sure how far up we will go (maybe Orderville Junction), but any advice would be appreciated. I did the Narrows bottom up to around to around Orderville a couple of years ago. I did them in beaten down saucony trail runners and some synthetic socks. If your only going to be there a day and dont want to rent/buy the shoes and socks go for it. I wouldn't recommend something like crocs or sandals though just because of the fact that your shoe could come off of and I'd want some solid footing. Also go early in the day to try and beat the crowds.
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Mar 21, 2017 15:23
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Alan_Shore posted:Cool! Well I'm just thinking about using the Eno Atlas straps with it instead of using lashes and knots (The Ultimate Hang book says that that way requires too many adjustments). I think it's the easiest and fastest way to hang every night, even though it's an extra 300g. Setting up their hammocks isn't that bad, they have a tutorial video on their site. If you really want to mod the system, you could tie a bight into the cords that are part of the hammock, clip your carabiner to that, and cut off the excess cord.
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Mar 21, 2017 15:32
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Yooper posted:Salmon talk. What kind of salmon? I can't stand tuna and most canned salmon I've tried seem to taste strangely tuna-ish. I've brought vac packed smoked salmon on trips before and loved it but I'd like to find a tuna substitute that isn't bad canned salmon. I like the pouches of flavored salmon that Chicken of the Sea and Starkist make. They are decent enough that I have them on hand regularly for lunch plus they don't need drained like cans.
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Mar 21, 2017 16:14
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Electoral Surgery posted:Setting up their hammocks isn't that bad, they have a tutorial video on their site. If you really want to mod the system, you could tie a bight into the cords that are part of the hammock, clip your carabiner to that, and cut off the excess cord. Oh I've watched their tutorials dozens of times! But I've heard that you have to keep readjusting the lashes etc. I really don't want to cut the cords! I was hoping there'd be a nice knot that would elegantly tie up the unnecessary cord that would also allow me to clip on a carabiner.
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Mar 21, 2017 16:15
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I have the Hennessey assym and iirc the straps are separate anyway? The hammock ends in an eye on either side and you can attach (with a biner or a knot) just about anything there to run to a tree. I've tied it up with the Hennessey straps (aka just plain old straps), which i find i can do reasonably quickly; I've also used climbing webbing and just regular 8mm rope on different occasions.
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Mar 21, 2017 18:33
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I'm in the early stages of planning a backpacking trip and could use some advice. I currently live in TX, and my only previous backpacking experiences are: 1) Ho River Trail in WA 2) Chisos Basin in Big Bend, TX Both trips were for a single night and were really incredible. Having said that, I think I prefer the not-having-to-hump-all-of-your-water-around thing. My wife and I lugged 7+ liters of water each up the Chisos Mountains, and, while we had a fantastic time, I think I'd rather hike with a bit less weight. Also, being able to have a campfire is a huge bonus. A lot of places in TX have a near permanent burn ban. I'm tentatively targeting Colorado for our trip because I've never been there, we love the mountains, and the flights are cheap to/from Texas. I was thinking maybe we make a 4 or 5-day weekend out of it (3 nights in the backcountry). We have really good gear already on account of our Big Bend trip... good packs, good footwear, good clothes, all the essentials in terms of emergencies, etc. How do I narrow down my search for a good hike? What are some good online resources for the greater Denver area (where we will likely be flying in)? Is there a particular book you'd highly recommend to assist in planning a backpacking trip in CO? I'm not sure where to begin really.
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Mar 21, 2017 19:22
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Yooper posted:Salmon talk. What kind of salmon? I can't stand tuna and most canned salmon I've tried seem to taste strangely tuna-ish. I've brought vac packed smoked salmon on trips before and loved it but I'd like to find a tuna substitute that isn't bad canned salmon. I used the plain Chicken of the Sea salmon pouch. Also I'd normally agree with you on canned tuna, that stuffs gross, but this flavored Starkist wasn't tuna-y at all.
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Mar 21, 2017 20:06
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nate fisher posted:If you are hiking the Narrows from the bottom up in late May, do you really need to rent canyoneering shoes plus Neoprene socks? We normally wear Tevas or Chacos (open toe) when hiking in creeks and rivers in the east, but it sounds like that is a no go in the Narrows? Maybe a old pair of tennis shoes? I am not sure how far up we will go (maybe Orderville Junction), but any advice would be appreciated. The Narrows was the one big thing we didn't get to do while in Zion, but at lot of people we talked to coming out of it said they were glad they rented the shoes/socks since it can get slippery in spots... Also the trail for observation point and hidden canyon are the same through the first series of switchbacks then they split off so you might be able to do both in the same day if you started early enough. I know I saw a few people doing that since they are right in the same area. Man, I really miss Zion now...
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Mar 21, 2017 20:30
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M.C. McMic posted:I'm in the early stages of planning a backpacking trip and could use some advice. I currently live in TX, and my only previous backpacking experiences are: Colorado is cool and there are so many places to go, unfortunately I've only been to Rocky Mountain National Park. Its absolutely stunning but it gets busy. Backcountry permits are often reserved well ahead of time so if you're considering it as an option, you will want to call the rangers up ASAP and get some ideas from them. They are more than eager to give you suggestions, see whats available permit wise and the like. The biggest thing with Colorado for me is altitude. Depending on the person it can play a big role in your trip. My first few backpacking trips were to Colorado (Rocky Mountain National Park - Wild Basin Area). We usually flew from Chicago early morning and were on the trail that same day. Going from sea level to 8,500 feet (base elevation of RMNP) was brutal on both myself and my buddy even though we are both pretty active and athletic. We chose to make a really short hike of the first day and essentially sleep as low of an elevation as we could to try and acclimatize which was a good idea. On the first night of the first trip I slept like absolute poo poo, had a headache, and didn't have an appetite for about a day which made things really hard. Luckily I felt much better the next day and every day after that. It was surprising to see how little ground we covered. Now, 15 miles isn't much for me, but 5 miles with a 40 lb pack and non-acclimatized lungs felt like a death march. Eventually we got up to 12,000 feet and felt fine. My other friend felt zero altitude effects. He also is pretty slim and doesn't have a ton of muscle or weight. The other thing with RMNP is that being a national park, they are very strict on bear cans (required in the backcountry but available for rent at REI etc), and backcountry site reservations. They don't allow you to sleep wherever and whenever you want. You literally have to pick and choose which site you will sleep at each night and abide by that itinerary. Like I said, this place is very popular so you might have to be flexible with your trip. June is usually early for that park, most of the trails are still very snow covered towards the beginning of June and start to clear out near the end of the month but each year and season is different. Summer thunderstorms are common between 12-4pm. They're usually short but its heavy rain, wind and rolling thunder, sometimes lightning. On the same trip in the matter of 2 days we had 80º weather and woke up to sub freezing temps and 4-5 inches of fresh snow. It can swing a lot out there. Call up the rangers and try to get an idea of what you want to see, what your skill set/level is and they should be able to help you from there. They will likely have some of the most up to date reports on trails and conditions. I suggest possibly flying in, staying a night or two either in Denver, Boulder or Estes Park to adjust to the mile of elevation, then hit the backcountry. That should make it easier to acclimatize.
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Mar 22, 2017 00:38
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alnilam posted:I have the Hennessey assym and iirc the straps are separate anyway? The hammock ends in an eye on either side and you can attach (with a biner or a knot) just about anything there to run to a tree. I've tied it up with the Hennessey straps (aka just plain old straps), which i find i can do reasonably quickly; I've also used climbing webbing and just regular 8mm rope on different occasions. Thanks! I'll do that. Now I just need to tie up the suspension somehow so it doesn't get in the way constantly!
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Mar 22, 2017 01:20
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Alan_Shore posted:Thanks! I'll do that. Now I just need to tie up the suspension somehow so it doesn't get in the way constantly! ALTHOUGH I just discovered the Becket Hitch and this seems waaaaay easier than the figure 8 lashes that Hennessy recommends and is surely much better than carrying carabiners etc.
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Mar 22, 2017 04:45
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Alan_Shore posted:Oh I've watched their tutorials dozens of times! But I've heard that you have to keep readjusting the lashes etc. I really don't want to cut the cords! I was hoping there'd be a nice knot that would elegantly tie up the unnecessary cord that would also allow me to clip on a carabiner. "Either a harness loop or single bowline on a bight may be used". I recommend a tautline around everything which will permit easy adjustment within reason without having to untie everything. Leftovers can be coiled and hitched to the line easily. Some of this depends on the type of cord being used. The harness loop is preferred as it will be easier to untie if necessary, but should be tied to lie in the direction of pull. I tend to naturally tie a lineman's loop for these applications, which is symmetric but generally strong enough for this application. If I've misunderstood your need, perhaps a picture reference or two will help me provide a better suggestion.
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Mar 22, 2017 07:52
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nate fisher posted:If you are hiking the Narrows from the bottom up in late May, do you really need to rent canyoneering shoes plus Neoprene socks? We normally wear Tevas or Chacos (open toe) when hiking in creeks and rivers in the east, but it sounds like that is a no go in the Narrows? Maybe a old pair of tennis shoes? I am not sure how far up we will go (maybe Orderville Junction), but any advice would be appreciated. liz posted:The Narrows was the one big thing we didn't get to do while in Zion, but at lot of people we talked to coming out of it said they were glad they rented the shoes/socks since it can get slippery in spots... I can't comment on late May, but I hiked the Narrows in October several years ago. It was definitely slippery and the current was fairly strong in places. I almost lost my footing while crossing the river a few times, and my (much shorter) wife fell in more than once. And that was with the boots. Granted, that was our first time hiking in a river, so maybe you'll be fine without them. You're in the water quite a lot though, crossing back and forth more times than you can count. Of course, for us, the water was far from warm, so the socks and pants were pretty important to have. I'm not sure how much higher the water temperature is in May. Definitely get as early a start as you can manage. We didn't get quite as far as we wanted before having to turn back. It gets dark quickly down there (and the rentals have a return deadline). edit: Your itinerary is very similar to what ours looked like, Bryce included. You'll have a great time. runawayturtles fucked around with this message at 09:52 on Mar 22, 2017 |
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Mar 22, 2017 09:42
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:Loop Lashing, ABOK #1514. See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trucker%27s_hitch I usually do a tautline hitch on one end of the hammock, and bowline everywhere else because I don't know enough cool knots and those are practically the only knots I ever use besides overhand. Also when possible (when using rope) I always do 3+ wraps around a tree with a backup knot, rather than tying a hitch directly to the tree, because it's better for the tree and technically stronger than a knot (though strength is unlikely to be an issue anyway) I should learn more knots
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Mar 22, 2017 12:22
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alnilam posted:I should learn more knots I also hope you're not using an overhand to "join two pieces of rope end-to-end, lengthwise", because that is all bad; please use a "sheet bend" instead (and if you're a climber, go get a better knot than that). Overhands are acceptable as binding knots, tying shoes, as bad closures, and so forth.
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Mar 22, 2017 14:14
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:Well there are some named above that probably will reveal themselves with a quick search! Well, I do climb, and when joining two rope ends in line, I use two facing fisherman's knots, or if it's unimportant just a square knot. and I forgot I also know the follow-through figure 8 hitch and I use a very clean follow-thru overhand for hitching with webbing sometimes (which afaik is considered okay for climbing anchors). I may have slightly undersold myself on my knotwledge, but I'd still love to learn more. Knots are awesome.
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Mar 22, 2017 14:48
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alnilam posted:Well, I do climb, and when joining two rope ends in line, I use two facing fisherman's knots, or if it's unimportant just a square knot. and I forgot I also know the follow-through figure 8 hitch and I use a very clean follow-thru overhand for hitching with webbing sometimes (which afaik is considered okay for climbing anchors). I may have slightly undersold myself on my knotwledge, but I'd still love to learn more. Knots are awesome. I recommend the books "knots for climbers" and "climbing anchors" as decent resources. Probably basic if you are a hard man big wall climber, but I still find them useful.
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Mar 22, 2017 15:02
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Wow, thanks. Good info. I guess it never really occurred to me to call the park rangers. Big Bend was pretty similar in needing to pre-select backcountry camp sites and stick to an itinerary. I'm fine with that. However, Big Bend is first come first serve with campsites. Looks like Rocky Mt. National Park takes reservations online. Hopefully it's not too late to plan something. I'll probably call the park today or tomorrow to see what they can recommend. I considered the altitude, but I'm probably underestimating just how much of an issue it would likely be with a 30-40 lbs pack and an uphill climb. I have been as high as 16,000 ft (Cotopaxi, Ecuador), but not while backpacking, and yeah... my head was pounding after a relatively short hike uphill.
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Mar 22, 2017 15:02
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:Well there are some named above that probably will reveal themselves with a quick search! the flat overhand bend is the standard knot to temporarily join two ropes for a rappel, it's used quite a bit in climbing. alnilam posted:I use a very clean follow-thru overhand for hitching with webbing sometimes (which afaik is considered okay for climbing anchors). I may have slightly undersold myself on my knotwledge, but I'd still love to learn more. Knots are awesome. other than the ones you've already mentioned, I would recommend learning (from most to least useful): clove hitch: anchor building, leashing yourself to an anchor one of prussik/klemheist/autoblock: '3rd hand' for rappels and belaying from above, a pair can be used to ascend a rope munter hitch: belay just a carabiner when you drop your ATC/grigri alpine butterfly: isolate a core shot in your rope munter mule: tie off a belay so you can go hands-free or get out of the system in an emergency ploots fucked around with this message at 15:30 on Mar 22, 2017 |
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Mar 22, 2017 15:10
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